Liverpool

Jordan Chamberlain
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich is a strange move in many regards.

Firstly, it is not often Liverpool sell players who get into the strongest XI out of choice. Yes, Trent Alexander-Arnold moved to Real Madrid on a free when his contract expired this summer, but the last time the Reds chose to sell a contracted player who would still have started the following season was Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona back in 2018.

In both cases, the players forced their exits.

Diaz was Liverpool's second best attacker last term behind Mohamed Salah. He scored 17 goals in total from the left wing, a phenomenal total, especially given 13 of those helped the Reds win the Premier League.

Right now, Liverpool will be weaker without him. Diaz is better than Cody Gakpo, and new signing Florian Wirtz wants to play at number 10, where he has so far been used in the pre-season friendlies.

The £65.5m fee is probably about right. It sounds a lot for a 28-year-old, but this is a market where Joao Felix has just gone for over £40m and one where Saudi sides were willing to pay £100m for Bruno Fernandes.

The biggest caveat of course is that Diaz's sale will help Liverpool sign Alexander Isak. The Newcastle striker is desperate for the move, but they cannot sell until they get a replacement in. It would be very handy for Liverpool if Manchester United could leave Newcastle alone in the race for Benjamin Sesko.

If Newcastle sign the RB Leipzig man, they will surely cash in on wantaway Isak.

Even so, remarkably this would still leave Liverpool slightly short on the left hand side.

Can the Reds really sign Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Isak and a left-winger all in one window?

Find more from Jordan Chamberlain at Empire of the Kop, external

Alexander Isak, 25, has approved personal terms with Liverpool on a five-year contract if a fee can be agreed to sign the Newcastle and Sweden striker. (Sky Sports Switzerland - in French, external)

Meanwhile, Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa and Bournemouth are set to miss out on highly rated 20-year-old Frenchman Nathan Zeze, with the Nantes defender preferring a move to Saudi Pro League side Neom SC. (Sun, external)

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There is something unique about a football fan's love for their club.

As once said by the great Arrigo Sacchi: "Football is the most important of the least important things in life".

Tears of joy - and heartbreak. Friendships forged. Memories that last a lifetime.

Sometimes it is there from the beginning, sometimes a moment is what starts it all or takes it to another level.

Wherever it comes from, the love for a club is often there for life.

As a new season edges closer, we want to know why you love Liverpool.

When was the moment it all began?

What is your most special memory?

Your first home game? Earliest shirt? A seminal away trip?

Send us your pictures and stories

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We asked for your views on Luis Diaz's imminent departure from Liverpool to Bayern Munich.

Here are some of your comments:

Phil: Gutted that Luis is leaving us. He was great to watch, wonderful skill on the ball and a great eye for goal. I'm worried about the impact of his loss. I love Cody Gakpo but Luis is a better carrier and more progressive with the ball. Shame he wants to leave but wishing him, and us, the best.

Ross: Diaz to Bayern is a great deal for all parties involved. He gets a bumper contract and Liverpool get some more spending power to continue our mental transfer window. Win-win all round.

Paul: It's not ideal, a workhorse of a player that has flair and an eye for a goal. Signing Alexander Isak would soften the blow though.

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Gary: From a financial perspective, it makes good sense but his energy and commitment on the pitch will be missed. Good luck to the lad!

Ash: He wanted to leave so let him go, and now use the money to get a centre-back. We have enough going forward - although Isak and Rodrygo would be nice too - but prioritise a centre-back.

Rod: Bad decision to let him go. He has worked his socks off for us and scored some wonderful goals. Will be very sorry to see him go.

Richard: A real shame to see Diaz leave. He is a fantastic player but with Gakpo, Wirtz and now the emergence of Rio Ngumoha as options on the left, I don't think we need to replace him. I suspect either Darwin Nunez or Harvey Elliott will also leave. Maybe both if we're serious about getting Isak.

Choose how you're feeling about Diaz leaving here

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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It is easy to see why Luis Diaz is an attractive prospect for Bayern Munich.

Diaz's shot conversion rate of 18.3% in 24-25 comfortably ranked as his best in a Premier League season.

Many of his other attributes stood out statistically too.

Diaz sat just outside the top 10 in the Premier League for most combined goals and assists (18), shots on target (30), chances created (56) and dribbles completed (52).

His defensive attributes and work-rate are also evidenced by the fact he won possession in the final third on 22 occasions, more than any other Liverpool player relative to their time spent on the pitch.

He will certainly be a loss if and when his move to the Bundesliga goes through.

Newcastle are expecting to receive a formal offer from Liverpool for 25-year-old Sweden striker Alexander Isak next week. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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Luis Diaz is set to join Bayern Munich after the German champions agreed a deal worth 75m euro (£65.5m) including add-ons with Liverpool.

The Reds rejected an initial bid of £58.6m from Bayern for the Colombia forward earlier this month.

Diaz was left out of Liverpool's squad for Saturday's 4-2 pre-season friendly defeat by AC Milan in Hong Kong because of speculation surrounding the 28-year-old's future.

He has been given permission by Liverpool to fly to Europe from Asia to complete a medical in the coming days.

Diaz arrived at Anfield from Porto in a deal worth an initial £37m in January 2022 and has scored 41 goals in 148 appearances, including 13 as the Reds won the Premier League title last season.

His 17 goals in all competitions in 2024-25 was the most prolific season of his career.

How do you feel about the news? Is it the right decision by the club to let him go for that fee?

Do they need to replace him and who should they try to buy if so?

Let us know here

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Premier League champions Liverpool kicked off their pre-season tour of Asia with a shock 4-2 defeat against Serie A side AC Milan at Kai Tak Sports Park.

Massimiliano Allegri's counter-attacking side got the better of Arne Slot's experimental team, as Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo were the only two Liverpool names to feature on the scoresheet.

The Reds arrived in Hong Kong full of confidence, after early pre-season wins over Preston North End and Stoke City, but their attention will now turn to facing Yokohama Marinos in the J.League World Challenge final on Wednesday, 30 July (11:30 BST).

Image source, Getty Images

With Liverpool understood to still be interested in Newcastle's Alexander Isak, we asked for your views on whether the Reds should try to sign the striker - who would be likely to cost a British record fee - or whether there are other areas to prioritise first.

Here are some of your comments:

Carl: I don't see the logic in this potential signing. Great player and Premier League proven no doubt, but the figures quoted are ridiculous. All us fantasy football players know the lad's injury record is a concern. With a significant outlay on Hugo Ekitike, I would rather see him get more game time and be given the chance to develop. Both seem more central players, so it is a more versatile attacker capable of playing on the left and right that we need.

Callum: Let's be honest, this is just us being greedy. He would be a great addition to the squad - any team would happily take him - but we just have so much threat in the attack that we simply don't need him to the point of spending over £100m.

Simon: If Isak is available and Liverpool can afford him, then go for it. This will take Liverpool to the same level that Manchester City have been at for the past few seasons. When you are champions, you make your team better. All the great teams do the same.

Michael: It's getting silly this! If there are funds to spend get a centre-back - that's the cover we need. We do not need another forward. Just because there's money don't mean we must spend it. Lets not behave like Chelsea, Manchester United or City. We DO NOT NEED Isak now. We have youth strikers coming in and they will learn a huge amount. If this experiment backfires we are lost forever. There is a difference between reinforcing a team and going berserk.

Will: It's not about what we need, but a statement about who we want to be. This window is setting us up to dominate for the next five years. With Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott and Luis Diaz all possibly going, Isak is the perfect final addition to our new world-beating attack.

Christine: Isak has not shown positive behaviours to his club. He could have asked to leave at the end of May and yet he has waited for pre-season. He is injury prone too and I don't want him at Liverpool. He doesn't fit and could prove to be an expensive mistake. Buy a centre-back and ensure we have cover in defence.

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Liverpool have already had a busy summer, but there could still be a lot more to happen with just over a month remaining.

Having hijacked Newcastle's attempts to sign forward Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt and securing him in a deal that has the potential to reach £79m, the Reds could yet sign the Magpies' star striker too.

Alexander Isak wants to explore his options for a move away from Newcastle after missing the pre-season tour of Asia, with a source telling BBC Sport that Liverpool are still interested in signing the 25-year-old despite landing Ekitike.

If the Reds wanted to secure the Sweden international's signature, it is likely they would have to break the British transfer record to do so, with the Tyneside club believed to value him at £130m.

Making up for minimal spend in recent transfer windows, Liverpool have heavily backed Arne Slot this summer following the side's Premier League title win.

On their five signings so far, the club lead the way in Premier League spending having paid £240m on initial fees, with that potentially rising to over £250m when including add-ons. Any deal for Isak would see that figure shoot up to nearer £400m.

But it is not just about incomings.

Trent Alexander-Arnold moved to Real Madrid at the end of the season, while Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher and Nat Phillips have all been sold, and there remains a question mark over the future of Luis Diaz, who has been the subject of bids from Bayern Munich.

So, do Liverpool need to pursue a possible record-breaking transfer for Isak? Or are there other priority areas they should be spending on instead? Is there a risk the club are doing too much business this summer?

Let us know your thoughts here

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

Alexander Isak has become integral to Newcastle's recent success since joining the club from Real Sociedad in August 2022, scoring an impressive 62 goals in 109 appearances at an average of a one every 1.76 games.

Isak has netted 44 league goals across the past two seasons – 21 in 2023-24 and 23 last term – and with those numbers he has been rubbing shoulders with Europe's very best marksmen over the same time period (as shown in the below graphic).

The Sweden international also outperformed his xG by 3.3 during this spell, with his 44 strikes coming from an expected goals of 40.7.

His future with the Magpies remains uncertain after missing their pre-season tour of Asia as he looks to explore his options for a move away from Newcastle.

Hugo Ekitike met Arne Slot and his new team-mates for the first time on Thursday.

The Reds took part in an open training session at Kai Tak Stadium, where they will face AC Milan in a friendly on Saturday.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool are poised to make a British record bid for Newcastle and Sweden striker Alexander Isak, 25. (Mail+ - subscription required), external

Bayern Munich are set to bid again for Luis Diaz and talks will continue, with Liverpool aware of the winger's desire to leave. (Fabrizio Romano), external

The Reds have offered defender Ibrahima Konate a new contract to fend off interest from Real Madrid, who are keen to sign him this summer or next. (Footmercato - in French), external

Brazil international Douglas Luiz, 27, failed to report for the first day of pre-season training at Juventus on Thursday, with Liverpool, West Ham and Everton all interested in the midfielder. (Gazetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Meanwhile, Harvey Elliott is open to leaving the Anfield club, with interest in the West Ham keen on the attacking midfielder. (Metro) , external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Alexander Isak wants to explore his options for a move away from Newcastle this summer after missing the pre-season tour of Asia.

Newcastle have selected a 30-man squad but said the Sweden striker "misses out with a minor thigh injury".

It is understood some of Europe's top clubs have been aware Isak has been looking to take the next step in his career.

A source has told BBC Sport that Liverpool are still interested in signing the 25-year-old, despite signing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike for an initial £69m.

On Saturday, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said Isak would "absolutely" be part of the squad for the games in Singapore and South Korea.

BBC Sport has contacted Newcastle for comment.

Read more here

Jordan Chamberlain
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It is an odd feeling when you are not that excited about a £69m (potentially rising to £79m) signing, but Liverpool fans have been consistently sold the dream of Alexander Isak while being spoiled this summer in the transfer market.

Florian Wirtz is the best signing any team will make and I'm completely convinced by that, but hopefully Hugo Ekitike will work well with the German superstar.

The Frenchman has lovely feet so will be much better in the build-up than Darwin Nunez, whose clumsy touch has driven supporters mad over the past few years.

Like Nunez, Ekitike is fast and works hard, but makes much better decisions and is not so emotionally affected by mistakes. It is undeniably an upgrade, especially if we can offload Nunez for big money to Saudi Arabia.

That will leave us with Ekitike as the only recognised centre-forward, given the tragic death of Diogo Jota. The Portuguese would have stayed to compete for a starting spot this season, but the brutal truth is that now Liverpool need to find another striker on top of Ekitike.

Isak will cost ridiculous money, but Liverpool could bank almost £200m themselves by selling Nunez, Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott, having already made plenty with the sales of Jarell Quansah and Caoimhin Kelleher.

If Diaz goes, Liverpool will need a new left-winger, too. So despite the Ekitike deal being one of the club's biggest ever, there is plenty of work to be done.

Before the season starts, we might see another striker, a left-winger and a centre-back arrive in what would be one of the biggest transfer windows by one club of all time.

What kind of position would that put Liverpool in, given they won the title last season anyway?

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The Redmen TV's Dan Clubbe says Liverpool's pre-season tour is crucial to help their players deal with the death Diogo Jota.

The tour of Asia starts with a match in Hong Kong against AC Milan, before they head to Japan to face Yokohama F Marinos next week.

"Normally the bonding and integration side [of a pre-season tour] is for new players, but this will be different." Clubbe told BBC Radio Merseyside. "I think those who played with Diogo and knew him best will need each other. I think this experience will be good for them.

"I know Liverpool saw the Preston game as a bit of a 'line in the sand' moment. Diogo will remain a thing and the conversations will continue, but they saw that match as getting back to business.

"I think this tour will enhance that - they will be rooming together and spending a lot more time in each other's company. There will certainly be moments where they lean on each other and share memories of Diogo.

"I'm sure it will be sad at times, but these next few days will be crucial for them to reset, remember him in the right way and get back to business."

Listen to more about Jota and the pre-season tour on BBC Sounds

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We asked how excited you are about the arrival of Hugo Ekitike and what you expect from him in his first season at Anfield.

Here are some of your comments:

Callum: I expect some flair, goal contributions and someone who gels into our system flawlessly. I also want him to build strong bonds with the players on and off the pitch, like every other Liverpool player.

Stev07: Raw talent who will no doubt be polished by our management. He will gain plenty of advice and experience from our established players. I've seen plenty of him on Bundesliga highlights but not for a full 90 minutes. I'm sure he will be good addition to our squad and he was nearly half the asking price for Alexander Isak. The goals will definitely flow once he is up to speed with his team-mates. I'm looking forward to seeing him in action.

Dax: All our major signings have been under the age of 25. They have already proved themselves on the big stage. Ekitike is another one of those signings who is very quick, plays killer passes and can score. He, like our other signings, can read the game well. And still they are not even 25. The future for Liverpool is bright.

Neil: We expect him to work hard and progress himself this season. He is a young lad who will need to adjust to the league and develop physically, so judgements can wait 12 months. This new squad will take time to bed in. Champions League qualification will be enough this season and a cup hopefully.

Ian: A reasonable expectation is that Ekitike is going to be a big improvement on Darwin Nunez.

Bill: We won't spend that amount of money without having big expectations this season. I expect 25-plus goals and assists. Also depends where we play him or Florian Wirtz.

Gareth: Good all-round hold-up play, mobility and an eye for goal - and with all these terrific players around him he'll become even better. Very good signing.

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